Ohio Bobcats vs Syracuse Orange Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24
With kickoff set for 3:30 ET, Syracuse and Ohio are ready to face off in a week one non-conference matchup. The game is being played at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, and the over/under line is currently 47.5 points. Syracuse is the heavy favorite at -17.5 points, and you can catch the action on ACCN. This is the first game of the season for both teams.
OHIO BOBCATS VS SYRACUSE ORANGE BETTING PICK
The Pick: Syracuse Orange -17.5
This game will be played at JMA Wireless Dome at 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.
WHY BET THE SYRACUSE ORANGE:
- We have the Syracuse Orange winning this one by a score of 35 to 15
- Not only do we have the Syracuse Orange winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at -17.5
- Look for this game to go over the line of 47.5 points
Will The Ohio Bobcats Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs
Ohio enters the season with the 113th power ranking, and we are giving them a 63.3% chance of being bowl-eligible. Last season, the Bobcats went 10-3 overall, including a 6-1 record at home and 4-2 on the road. They were favored in nine of their 13 games, finishing 7-2 as the favorite and 3-1 as the underdog.
Heading into the season, we are giving the Bobcats an 8.9% chance of winning the Mid-American Conference. In the futures market, they are listed at +1120 to win the conference, placing them 6th out of 12 teams. However, their +320 odds to make it to the Mid-American Conference title game are the 4th best in the conference.
Ohio’s passing game averaged 203.6 yards per game last season, ranking 79th in the country. Overall, the Bobcats’ offense averaged 24.3 points per game, placing them 62nd nationally. They were effective on third downs, converting at a rate of 45.7% (17th). In the running game, Ohio averaged 147.1 yards per game, ranking 73rd in the nation.
Parker Navarro, who threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns last season, is the top returning quarterback for Ohio. In the backfield, Rickey Hunt, who rushed for 134 yards and four touchdowns, is the top returning running back. The Bobcats have also added Anthony Tyus III, who ran for 238 yards last season at Northwestern.
Ohio’s defense was tough against the run last season, allowing just 92.2 rushing yards per game, the 5th best mark in the nation. Overall, they gave up just 15.8 points per game, placing them 5th in the country. Their pass defense was also solid, giving up 182.8 passing yards per game (32nd). However, opponents found some success with a 62.2% completion percentage against the Bobcats (108th).
Are The Syracuse Orange Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?
Syracuse is +4100 to win the Atlantic Coast Conference this season, ranking 9th out of the 17 teams in the conference. The Orange are coming off a season in which they went 6-7 overall, with a 5-3 record at home and 1-4 on the road. They are currently ranked 70th in our power rankings and have a 56.1% chance of being bowl-eligible this season.
Last season, Syracuse was favored in five out of their 13 games, going 2-3 as the favorite and 3-4 as the underdog. This year, their chances of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference are at just 0.6% according to our power rankings.
Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, who threw for 282 yards and three touchdowns last season, is one of the top returning quarterbacks for Syracuse. The Orange also added Kyle McCord, who threw for 3170 yards and 24 touchdowns last year at Ohio State. Syracuse is looking for a big season from LeQuint Allen, who rushed for 1063 yards and nine touchdowns last season. The Orange ranked 67th in scoring, putting up 23.5 points per game last season.
Syracuse’s passing game averaged just 171 yards per game last season, ranking 105th in the country. However, they were more successful on the ground, ranking 49th in rush yards per game (172.3) and 18th in rush yards per attempt (4). The Orange will also be looking for big contributions from Umari Hatcher and transfer Justus Ross-Simmons, who put up 724 receiving yards last season at Colorado State.
Syracuse’s defense allowed 25.4 points per game last season, ranking them 49th in the nation. They struggled against the pass, giving up 235.5 passing yards per game (115th). On the ground, they ranked 78th, allowing 149.2 rushing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks completed 62.9% of their passes against the Orange last season.